Second edition of the Vaccine Safety Net (VSN) newsletter

We are pleased to share with you the second edition of the Vaccine Safety Net (VSN) newsletter. In this edition, you will have the opportunity to learn about Vaccine Safety Net new developments and future plans, VSN members’ latest news, publications, campaigns and initiatives, mobile applications among other alternative ways of communicating about vaccine safety, and WHO recently published tools and resources for vaccine pharmacovigilance. As for each edition, a special focus is given to one of our members: this month VSN shines the spotlight on the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), a member since 2004.

Latest issue of the Global Vaccine Safety Initiative bulletin

The 7th edition of the WHO GVSI bulletin is now available.

This issue includes highlights of the 31st Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety meeting, an update vaccine pharmacovigilance capacity building activities in Africa, a presentation of an innovative approach using interactive voice response (IVR) technology to promote AEFI reporting in India, the description of an innovative training methodology to improve AEFI investigation and a report on AEFI after quadrivalent HPV vaccination in Brazil.

Report on the third Global Vaccine Safety Meeting

The Third Global Vaccine Safety meeting took place in Tianjin, China on 13-14 October 2014. This general meeting guides the Global Vaccine Safety Initiative (GVSI), which is the implementation mechanism for the Global Vaccine Safety Blueprint.

During two days, immunization programme managers and national regulatory authorities pharmacovigilance staff from more than thirty countries gathered with representatives from UN agencies, academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies umbrella organizations, partners and funding agencies. Participants reported on initiatives relevant to the Blueprint objectives, shared experiences to strengthen vaccine pharmacovigilance, and identified needs and opportunities for further development.

Standard WHO AEFI investigation form to aid AEFI investigation

Investigation of serious AEFI is required to determine the cause and implement follow-up actions. A thorough systematic process helps identify preventable AEFI such as immunization errors and also ascertain coincidental events. Prompt and explicit action is important to maintain public confidence in immunization programmes. The Standard WHO AEFI investigation form is a tool that accompanies the WHO causality assessment methodology.